The invention relates to a seat, frame for a vehicle seat having an upholstered seat cushion, a seat frame structure, an upholstery support structure attached thereto and having a radial fan with a fan housing, the fan housing having an axial inlet and a radial outlet opening for passage of air. The fan housing is supported on the seat frame by means of a dimensionally rigid holder.
In addition to heating devices, vehicle seats are increasingly equipped with ventilation devices. In the past, such ventilation devices that, serve the climate control of a seat were reserved for luxury vehicles for cost reasons. However, as the demand for comfort in economy-class vehicles and compact cars increased, climate-controlled seats have been offered as optional features in these vehicles as well.
Such climate control devices include one or more fans that are in flow connection with the ventilation channels in the upholstery of the seat, and/or with the air distribution layer located underneath the upholstery fabric. With these devices, both the seat areas and the backrests and even the headrests can be climate-controlled.
A main component of the climate control device is a fan that produces the required air flow.
One of the considerations when using such fans is to ensure that they supply and extract air to and from certain areas of the seating and rest areas according to the design requirements, that they be arranged in areas of the seat where appropriate space is available, and that they allow for a quick and simple installation and removal.
Known from DE 10 2006 004 465 A1 is an insert for a climate-controlled vehicle seat comprising a three-dimensional air distribution layer that is covered on its upper side with an air-permeable top layer. The top layer at the bottom side of the air distribution layer includes an air inlet but is otherwise airtight. Connected to the air islet is a ring-shaped component in which a fan is suspended. The ring-shaped component exhibits a de-coupling configuration to prevent the transmission of vibrations generated by the fan to the seat.
WO 2005/037601 A2 describes a vehicle seat that has a fan unit (fan blade housing) attached to its carrying structure, namely to the bottom side of the seat, using a mounting arrangement. The air emitted by the fan unit is provided to the seat area via an air guide unit. The air guide unit comprises a rectangular zones that is assigned to the seat area and a channel-shaped zone that forms a connection between the fan and the seat area zone.
DE 102 55 638 A1 describes a climate control unit for a vehicle seat with a fan unit that, is attached to the seat springs of the seat using a plate with a U-shaped cross-section. For this purpose, several seat springs are clamped between the base area of the housing of the fan unit and the U-shaped plate. The fan housing has a pipe socket permanently molded to it that is connected to an air guide channel in the cushion element and thus blows the air into the channels of the cushion element.
DE 199 27 232 A1 concerns a climate control device for a vehicle seat with a central fan unit located underneath the seat frame. The housing of this fan unit is connected to two solid pipes, where one pipe glides air to a channel in the seat cushion of the seat area and the other pipe to a channel in the cushion of the backrest. With this embodiment, the housing of the fan unit is also adapted to the special requirements of the climate-controlled seat.
DE 198 47 384 C1, DE 199 20 062 A1 and DE 102 07 490 C1 describe vehicle seats, where the fan is inserted into an air channel cushion of the seat or in the cavity of a backrest.
EP 1 008 486 B1 discloses to a backrest, for vehicle seats, where a mechanical lumbar support for adapting to the spinal curvature of the user of the seat is attached to the frame of the backrest. The fan for the active ventilation of the backrest cushion is centrally attached to the lumbar support in the cushion area and moves together with the lumbar support, during its adjustment.
DE 10 2010 005 728 A1 describes a seat configuration for a component of a backrest or a seat cushion of a vehicle seat. The seat configuration can be supplemented with a fan in modular fashion. The fan module is mounted in a corresponding opening of a frame element of the seat. A separate holder may be used as an alternative.